2 Tips To Create Desktop Shortcuts for Programs, Apps in Windows 8

I have been using windows 8 for the last 2 months and one thing which I like about windows 8 is that it stability as windows OS, but there are many things which are did not like about the new windows 8 but with time I am getting used to it. One thing for sure is that, irrespective of the amazing start screen, I found myself using windows 8 in desktop mode most of the time and same is happening with other users as well who adopted or upgraded to windows 8.

Now, I like desktop shortcuts like any other windows users, but some how due to the missing windows start menu in windows 8 is gets more difficult to create desktop shortcuts for frequently used programs and some times there is possibly no way you can create a desktop shortcuts for metro apps and programs installed in windows 8.

Create Desktop Shortcuts for Windows 8 Programs

One simple way to create desktop shortcuts for programs and installed which are not the metro UI apps is to navigate the folder path and then right click the programs or the all programs folder to create a desktop shortcut of the same.

The path for the folder which contains all programs is

C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Program

Please Note [ Above path is a hidden folder, so you will need to make sure to enable to see hidden folders and files to access this folder in windows explorer ]

Under this folder you will see list of the programs which shortcut which you can easily copy to desktop.

Desktop Shortcuts For All Metro Apps

If you want to launch the metro or modern UI apps from desktop instead of start screen and navigating through the blocks is sometimes tiring and using search option by pressing Windows key + w to search is not a good option always, now you can create a single desktop shortcut in windows 8 which will bring launch shortcut icons for all apps in single click of the desktop shortcut.

To create this desktop shortcut, right click on empty area on windows 8 desktop and then select new shortcut and then enter the following target path.

the target path for this shortcut is

%windir%\explorer.exe shell:::{2559a1f8-21d7-11d4-bdaf-00c04f60b9f0}

You just need to copy and paste it, and once pasted click next and then name the shortcut as all apps.